Softwr

Parenting · head to head

Google Family Link vs Tiny Beans

Google Family Link logo

Google Family Link

Parenting

Google's free family device management and controls

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite
Tiny Beans logo

Tiny Beans

Parenting

Your private family journal

From
Free
Rated
-
Full reviewWebsite

The short version

  • Each has a real cost: Google Family Link google documents that iPhones, iPads and computers other than Chromebooks cannot be supervised with Family Link; Tiny Beans the free Tinybeans plan is capped at 20 uploads per month and 5GB of storage
  • They diverge on capability: Google Family Link covers Screen time management, Tiny Beans covers Private photo sharing.
  • Prices and features above were last checked on 30 August 2026.

Where they differ

Only the attributes on which Google Family Link and Tiny Beans actually diverge.

Attributes where Google Family Link and Tiny Beans differ
AttributeGoogle Family LinkTiny Beans
Pricing modelfreefreemium
PlatformsAndroid, WebIos, Android, Web
Founded20192012

Identical on both: starting price (Free), free tier (Yes), user rating (Not yet rated), category (Parenting).

What each one covers

Drawn from each product's published feature list. An absence here means we hold no record of it - not that the product lacks it.

Only in Google Family Link

  • Screen time management
  • App approval system
  • Device locking
  • Location tracking
  • Settings management
  • Password controls
  • Google Play filtering
  • Account monitoring

Only in Tiny Beans

  • Private photo sharing
  • Video sharing
  • Milestone tracking
  • Daily email digests
  • Child timelines
  • Comments & reactions
  • Print products
  • Memory search

Both cover

  • Cloud deployment
  • Android support
  • Web support
  • English language support

What people use each for

The jobs each tool is most often brought in to do.

Google Family Link

  • Setting screen time limits and app approvals on a child's Android devicenot Tiny Beans
  • Creating and managing a Google Account for a child under 13not Tiny Beans
  • Seeing which apps a child uses and where their device isnot Tiny Beans

Tiny Beans

  • Keeping a private family photo and video journal organised by datenot Google Family Link
  • Sharing baby photos with invited grandparents and relatives onlynot Google Family Link
  • Turning saved moments into printed photo booksnot Google Family Link

Where each one falls short

Documented limitations, not opinions. Every one is a constraint you would hit in normal use.

Google Family Link

  • Google documents that iPhones, iPads and computers other than Chromebooks cannot be supervised with Family Link
  • Supervision is built around a Google Account, so activity outside Google accounts and Android devices is not covered
  • Parent controlled account creation applies to children under 13 or the applicable age in the country

Tiny Beans

  • The free Tinybeans plan is capped at 20 uploads per month and 5GB of storage
  • The free plan shows ads; an ad-free experience requires Tinybeans+
  • A second user account to share the journal is a Tinybeans+ feature
  • High-quality video uploads are limited to 5 minutes and require Tinybeans+
  • Tinybeans+ storage is capped at 200GB rather than unlimited
  • Priority support is restricted to Tinybeans+
  • Subscriptions renew automatically unless auto-renew is switched off at least 24 hours before the period ends

Pricing, plan by plan

Google Family Link

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Screen time limits
    • App approval
    • Device locking

Tiny Beans

Free
  • FreeFree
    • Photo & video sharing
    • Daily email updates
    • Milestone tracking
  • Premium$4.99/month
    • Everything in Free
    • Unlimited storage
    • Video longer than 1 min

Which should you pick?

Choose Google Family Link if

  • You need screen time management.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Android, Web.
  • You also want app approval system.
Google Family Link review

Choose Tiny Beans if

  • You need private photo sharing.
  • You want to start without paying.
  • You work on Ios, Android, Web.
  • You also want video sharing.
Tiny Beans review

Questions people ask

Is Google Family Link or Tiny Beans better?
Neither clearly leads. Google Family Link starts at Free and Tiny Beans at Free, and user ratings are close enough to be indistinguishable. Choose on capability and platform support.
Which is cheaper, Google Family Link or Tiny Beans?
Google Family Link starts at Free and Tiny Beans at Free.
Does Google Family Link or Tiny Beans run on more platforms?
Google Family Link runs on Android, Web. Tiny Beans runs on Ios, Android, Web.
Can I use Google Family Link for free?
Both have a free tier, so you can try either at no cost before committing.
What is Google Family Link best used for?
Google Family Link is most often used for setting screen time limits and app approvals on a child's android device, creating and managing a google account for a child under 13, seeing which apps a child uses and where their device is. Of those, setting screen time limits and app approvals on a child's android device and creating and managing a google account for a child under 13 are not what Tiny Beans is typically brought in for.
What can Google Family Link do that Tiny Beans cannot?
Google Family Link covers Screen time management, App approval system, Device locking, Location tracking. Tiny Beans covers Private photo sharing, Video sharing, Milestone tracking, Daily email digests. Both handle Cloud deployment, Android support, Web support, English language support.

Answered from the vendors’ own pages

Google Family Link: Is Google Family Link free?

Yes, Google Family Link is completely free. Creating or joining a family group does not require any paid membership or subscription.

Source
Google Family Link: Do any Family Link features require payment?

Family Link itself is free, but some Google products that integrate with it like YouTube Premium for families or Google One require separate paid subscriptions if you want premium features.

Source
Share

Related pages

More on Google Family Link

More on Tiny Beans

Keep looking

Other head to heads